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October 4, 2023
By Alison GriffinWhen Cities And Philanthropies Team Up, Good Things Happen
Birmingham Talks, which aims to make the city America’s sandbox for innovation in early childhood education, is using “talk pedometers” to close literacy gaps for thousands of children.
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September 12, 2022
By Kiahnna Patterson‘It is life-changing!’: Virginia Beach TALKS offers free early learning class for parents
Parents and coordinators reflect on the success of Virginia Beach's LENA Start program as it celebrates its third year.
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August 31, 2021
By Leah WatersMesquite ISD offering free classes for parents of young kids to help promote verbal development
Outside Dallas, Texas, Mesquite Independent School District is gearing up for LENA Start through its Read, Play, Talk initiative.
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May 17, 2021
By Michelle RayProviding building blocks for lifelong learning and strong communities
In Colorado, LENA Start is one of the many programs Pikes Peak Library District offers so that it “can be a reliable anchor for those with young children in their lives.”
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January 31, 2021
By Carole Howard & Library StaffLIBRARY NEWS: New Early Literacy Program Arrives in Pagosa
In partnership with AmeriCorps and the San Juan BOCES, Archuleta county is launching LENA Start, a talk-based early literacy program focused on children aged birth to three.
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November 22, 2019
By Jason BittelCan ‘word pedometers’ boost toddlers’ cognitive development?
New devices that measure words as they are spoken, similar to the way a FitBit tracks steps, promise a way to kickstart early development.
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November 20, 2019
By Alexis WilliamsImpact Series: Agape’s Thrive by Five program enhances children’s conversation skills in preparation for kindergarten
A new program is helping to boost adult-child conversation in Memphis.
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October 23, 2019
By Brendan LoweAfter One City Experiments With Toddlers Wearing Recorders and Sees the Number of Words They Hear Grow 50%, 5 More Mayors Will Pilot Innovative ‘Word Gap’ Program
Backed by promising research and a nearly $12 million investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Providence Talks model is expanding to five cities across the country.
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September 26, 2019
By Zack QuaintanceWhat’s new in civic tech: Bloomberg Philanthropies replicates early childhood innovation program in five more cities
Bloomberg Philanthropies will replicate an innovative early childhood learning program in five new cities. The five new cities will get tech and software they need to replicate what was done with families in Providence, provided by LENA, a national nonprofit that works within the space.
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September 25, 2019
By Anna BeahmBirmingham receives grant for talk-based early childhood learning program
The city of Birmingham was selected as one of five cities that will replicate a free, early childhood education program in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies.
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September 25, 2019
By Rebecca LuryeHartford one of five U.S. cities launching language development program for young children
The city of Hartford is launching an early childhood program to support language development, inspired by an initiative launched in neighboring Rhode Island called Providence Talks.
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September 24, 2019
By BloombergBloomberg Philanthropies Announces Replication of Mayors Challenge-Winning Early Childhood Learning Innovation in Five U.S. Cities
Bloomberg Philanthropies today announced the five American cities that will replicate Providence Talks, an early childhood education program that empowers parents and caregivers with tools to support language development at a critical age and help children enter kindergarten classroom ready.
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September 24, 2019
By John WiselyWearable device counts words Detroit parents say to their young children
Detroit is one of five cities chosen to launch a new program that equips children with special devices known as talk pedometers.
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September 24, 2019
By Ivy GilbertThe Power of Conversation in Virginia Beach
How the city is investing in its future by replicating Providence Talks.
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September 24, 2019
By Linda BorgBloomberg cites Providence’s success in expanding childhood language program to 5 other cities
Bloomberg Philanthropies announced that Birmingham, Alabama; Detroit; Hartford; Louisville and Virginia Beach are picking up the program.
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September 24, 2019
By BizJournal TeamBirmingham selected to partner with Bloomberg Philanthropies on early learning initiative
The city of Birmingham was selected as one of five cities that will replicate a free, early childhood education program in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies.
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September 17, 2019
By Rob Mentzer‘Just Talk’: In Wausau, Technology Program Helps Parents Boost Babies’ Language Skills
Parents can learn more about their children's early language development with LENA’s “talk pedometer” technology as part of the LENA Start program in Marathon County.
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August 4, 2019
By Sherri WelchBrilliant Detroit opening 7 new neighborhood sites this year in expansion push
A new nonprofit in Detroit is expanding initiatives focused on kindergarten readiness, early literacy, and family stability in high-need neighborhoods.
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July 23, 2019
By Jessica LopezGrantee Spotlight Blog Series: Spartanburg County Public Libraries
Spartanburg County Public Libraries, a 2019 Grantee of the Mary Black Foundation, will implement LENA Start classes and LENA Home coaching visits for local families to support early childhood development.
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June 15, 2019
By Samantha SwannNew language program could increase school readiness in Spartanburg County children
A new program from the Spartanburg County Public Library and partners could help improve kindergarten readiness countywide thanks to two grants from the Mary Black Foundation and LENA.
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May 14, 2019
By Haley DennyFoundation Awards $765,125 in Grants
The Mary Black Foundation awarded $56,700 to Spartanburg County Public Libraries to purchase LENA technology and implement LENA Start and LENA Home.
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April 30, 2019
By Gina Christian$20K grant helps Catholic preschool teach tots to read for life
Through a partnership with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and LENA, families in Philadelphia are able to use LENA early learning technology.
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January 20, 2019
By Meredith RoemermanMuscatine library to expand on early talk programs
Musser Public Library in Muscatine, Iowa, is launching a new LENA Start program in spring 2019.
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January 1, 2019
By Siobhan RileyNew program helping Memphis parents, children fight illiteracy and poverty
A new program in Memphis, Tennessee, is teaching moms the importance of early communication with their child.